RTS October 2020

BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION

EXTRA SPECIAL

EDMONTON’S EXTRADOSED TAWATINA BRIDGE DESTINED TO BE A CITY LANDMARK

OCTOBER 2020 | WWW.RTANDS.COM

ALSO: 2020 CROSSTIE REPORT DITCHING AND DRAINAGE rtands.com

February 2018 // Railway Track & Structures 1

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CONTENTS

October 2020

FEATURES

8

Winter creates a spring American Bridge’s ability to work through cold months gives the Tawatina Bridge project renewed optimism to meet deadline

14

The ties that bind Crosstie product overview and market outlook

22

22 DEPARTMENTS

4

8

27

Perfectly cleared Ditching and drainage equipment make it easy to get jobs done right

COLUMNS

3

TTCI Fatigue testing of rail steels under constant amplitude: preliminary results

On Track Once old is new again

AREMA News Message from the President, and more

Last Stop Railroad heritage

32

On the Cover Construction of the Tawatina Rail Bridge in Edmonton.

For story, see p 8.

Photo courtesy of American Bridge.

Follow Us On Social Media @RTSMag

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October 2020 // Railway Track & Structures 1

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ON TRACK

Once old is new again VOL. 115, NO. 6 NO. 10 PrintVOL. ISSN116, # 0033-9016, Print ISSN ## 0033-9016, Digital ISSN 2160-2514 Digital ISSN # 2160-2514 EDITORIAL OFFICES EDITORIAL OFFICE 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 3680 Heathmoor Drive Chicago, Ill. 60603 Elgin, (312) IL 60124 Telephone 683-0130 Telephone 336-1148 Fax (312)(630) 683-0131 Website www.rtands.com BILL WILSON Editor-in-Chief wwilson@sbpub.com DAVID LESTER KYRAC. SENESE Managing Editor dlester@sbpub.com ksenese@sbpub.com CORPORATE OFFICES BOB TUZIK 88 Pine Street, 23rd Floor, Consulting Editor New York, NY 10005 btuzik@sbpub.com Telephone (212) 620-7200 CORPORATE OFFICES Fax (212) 633-1165 55 Broad St 26th Fl. ARTHUR J. MCGINNIS, New York, N.Y. 10004JR. President and Telephone (212)Chairman 620-7200 Fax (212) 633-1165 JONATHAN CHALON ARTHUR Publisher J. MCGINNIS, JR. President and Chairman MARY CONYERS Production CHALON Director JONATHAN Publisher NICOLE D’ANTONA Art Director MARY CONYERS Production Director HILLARY COLEMAN GraphicD’ANTONA Designer NICOLE Art Director MAUREEN COONEY Circulation Director ALEZA LEINWAND Graphic Designer MICHELLE ZOLKOS Conference Director MAUREEN COONEY Circulation Director CUSTOMER SERVICE: 800-895-4389 Reprints: PARS International MICHELLE ZOLKOS Corp.

253 West 35th Street 7th Floor Conference Director New York, NY 10001 CUSTOMER SERVICE: 800-895-4389 212-221-9595; fax 212-221-9195 Reprints: PARS International Corp. curt.ciesinski@parsintl.com 253 West 35th Street 7th Floor New York, NY 10001 212-221-9595; fax 212-221-9195 curt.ciesinski@parsintl.com

I

did not think I could look any better in my gray denim jacket with a wool collar, and the selfie proved it.

“See, still looks good after all of these years,” I posted on Facebook. My friends did not share in my enthusiasm, which must have been distorted from not seeing myself in the attire for over 30 years. The denim jacket was a Christmas gift in the late 80s (I want to say 1987, but perhaps 1986 leading into ’87?), and my Facebook allies wanted me to wrap it back up and bury it under a tree, forever.

OK, I admit, things from the age of neon colors and poofy hair are starting to carry a yellowish stale hue to them, and many need to be repurposed in today’s world or, gulp, eliminated all together. In late September, the U.S. DOT’s Federal Transit Administration made a 1987 rule look chic again. The FTA announced a final rule amending FTA regulations for Project Management Oversight (PMO) of transit capital investments. The final rule now streamlines the PMO regulation by reducing the number of projects subject to FTA project management oversight and modifies the regulation to make it consistent with statutory changes.

The rule redefines a “major capital project” as a new fixed guideway project— or an expansion, rehabilitation or modernization of an existing fixed guideway system—with a total project cost of $300 million or more and with a federal investment of $100 million or more. The previous threshold defined a major capital project as a project costing $100 million or more but did not include federal support as a factor.

In response to the change, FTA Deputy Administrator K. Jane Williams said, “The number of transit capital projects and the infrastructure costs associated with them has increased significantly since the PMO program was first authorized in 1987.

“This rule tailors the level of FTA oversight to the real costs, complexities, and risks of major capital projects and

right-sizes the role of federal oversight while eliminating unnecessary red tape for state and local leaders.”

Red tape is not a good look on Christmas gifts, and it is a web state and local officials hate getting their fingers into ... the residue takes forever to shake. Taking a pair of scissors to the whole process is certainly worth watching.

Now we just need a second (and third?) injection of federal stimulus money to match this momentum. New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced in mid-September that it sent notice out to 11 of its largest suppliers warning that without $12 billion in federal aid all current and future contracts with companies are in jeopardy. Congress has been trying to hash out a package for weeks, and with the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg it appears the Senate is now geared toward initiating a replacement. That puts the chance of more federal relief happening after the November election, and depending on what mood certain key political figures are in, nothing might be done until 2021.

The opportunity to streamline, however, is there ... waiting. Yes, it will most likely take years for the economy to fully recover, but rail infrastructure needs to be ready for a demand that will skip the pent-up phase and go straight to an all-out explosion. Life will be back to normal, and the demand for transportation just may be abnormally high. I’m not buying the fact it will take some time for passengers to return to the rails. I am, however, tempted to buy another jean jacket. I think I can make the look work.

BILL WILSON Editor-in-Chief

Railway Track & Structures (Print ISSN 0033-9016, Digital ISSN 2160-2514), (USPS 860-560), (Canada Post Cust. #7204564; Agreement #40612608; IMEX P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2, Canada) is published monthly by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 88 Pine Street, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10005. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices.

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October 2020 // Railway Track & Structures 3

TTCI R&D

Fatigue Testing of Rail Steels Under Constant Amplitude: Preliminary Results Comparing data with rails manufactured more than 25 years ago

by Ananyo Banerjee, Ph.D., Principal Investigator Kenny Morrison, Senior Engineer Transportation Technology Center, Inc.

T

ransportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI) is investigating the fatigue behavior of rail steels manufactured in the last five years and comparing the results against data from rails manufactured more than 25 years ago. Three rail types were selected for comparison: high-strength (HS) rails manufactured within the last five years and HS rail manufactured in the early 1990s. Samples cut from these rails were subjected to constant amplitude stress cycles covering a range of amplitudes. The tests were conducted using a rotating beam fatigue tester—an apparatus that spins each sample while simultaneously applying a constant-value bending moment. Once the sample fractures, the number of revolutions (cycles) to failure is recorded. If a sample does not break after passing 100 million cycles, it is considered to have “run-out� and the test is stopped.

Background Steel making has evolved over the last few decades; and consequently, so have the processes in rail manufacturing. From ingot casting to continuous cooling, the different steps of rail manufacturing have evolved to make cleaner rails. Along with better steel quality, the strength of HS rail also has increased due to the demand for heavier axle loads and longer rail life.

Current American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) Chapter 4 (Rail) guidelines recommend a minimum surface hardness of 370 Brinell hardness number (BHN) for

4 Railway Track & Structures // October 2020

HS rails; although recently manufactured HS rails currently being tested at the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing have surface hardness at or above 395 BHN. In recent years, TTCI rail wear tests have shown improved wear and fatigue resistance in HS rails.2 In 2018, a rail wear test concluded at 651 million gross tons with six HS rail types under unlubricated conditions had only one vertical split head

A SAMPLE THAT BROKE AFTER 10,000 CYCLES TOOK THREE MINUTES TO COMPLETE.

in one of the test rails. No other internal defects were detected in the head or base of the rails. These results illustrate the benefits of cleaner steel manufacturing along with the higher strength and hardness of the modern HS rail steels.

Modern standard strength (SS) rail has a surface hardness in the range of 300-320 BHN. A simple surface hardness comparison shows HS rail made in the late 1980s and early 1990s has surface hardness either higher or at par with the surface hardness of modern SS rail. Over the last few years, TTCI has been investigating changes in mechanical properties like yield strength, tensile strength, and fatigue resistance of modern HS rails and HS rails manufactured more than 25 years ago.

Figure 1 is a plot of fatigue test data from a rail steel.3 As shown, at lower levels of stress, rail steel can endure a higher number of cycles before developing a fatigue crack that causes the test specimen to fracture. For steels under constantamplitude loading, the fatigue curve can become almost horizontal at very low

Figure 1: S-N curve of a rail steel obtained by a uni-axial fatigue test.1

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TTCI R&D

stress ranges. This behavior is an artifact of constant-amplitude tests, and the stress range where the curve becomes horizontal is referred to as the constant-amplitude fatigue endurance limit. Fatigue curves generated in earlier works have estimated the endurance limit for rails to fall anywhere between 40 ksi and 60 ksi.3,4,5 These earlier works focused on constantamplitude fatigue endurance limits to understand approximate stress limits for defect initiation in rails. But research over the last few decades has proven that rails are subjected to variable-amplitude loading conditions in revenue service; thus, fatigue damage accumulates with stress ranges below the constant-amplitude endurance limit. It is still important to know how increases in hardness and strength have changed the constant-amplitude fatigue endurance limits of rail steels over time. This study is aimed at understanding the fatigue response under constant-amplitude conditions of modern HS rails and older HS rails manufactured in the late 1980s/early 1990s.

Rotating beam fatigue testing Figures 2 and 3 show the rotating beam fatigue-testing apparatus used in the current program at TTCI. The specimen is placed between the spindle housing and the loading holder. The motor spins the sample at the programmed revolutions per minute while a load is applied to the loading holder creating the desired stress in the sample.

S-N curve development and fatigue limit determination To date, three rail steels have been tested: Two new HS or premium rail steels manufactured in 2015 (denoted as HS1 and HS2) were compared to one HS rail steel manufactured in 1992 (HS-1992). Figure 4 shows the results for the three rail types and exhibits nearly parallel regression lines for all of the steels tested.

In general, the HS-1992 rail sample failed at the lowest number of cycles when compared to the other rail types. At each stress level below 100 ksi, at least one specimen reached 100 million cycles at which level testing was stopped. However, other specimens failed. Figure 4 indicates specimens that survived 100 million cycles as open circles with arrows and are designated “run-out” specimens. Run-out results are not included in the regression analysis but are plotted in the figure for rtands.com

Figure 2: Rotating beam fatigue-testing apparatus.

completeness. At the spin rate used in these tests, a sample that broke after 10,000 cycles took three minutes to complete while a sample that survived 100 million load cycles ran non-stop for approximately 23 days.

stress ranges to those of older rails will require more testing. Preliminary results show that, at similar stress levels, the 1992 HS rail seems to be enduring a lower number of fatigue cycles than the 2015 HS1 and HS2 rail samples.

Conclusions This testing program is at an early stage and definitive conclusions of modern rails and their comparison of endurance limit

References 1. Banerjee, A. and Kavishwar, A., June 2019, “Evaluation of High-Strength Rail Properties for 2018 Rail Wear Test,”

Figure 3: Loading location (red oval) for rotating beam fatigue tester.

October 2020 // Railway Track & Structures 5

TTCI R&D

Figure 4: S-N curve results for three rail types.

Technology Digest TD19-004, AAR/TTCI, Pueblo, Colo.

2. Banerjee A. and Davis D., January 2016, “FAST Premium Rail Wear Test Results: 2014-2015,” Technology Digest TD16-001, AAR/TTCI, Pueblo, Colo.

3. Iwafuchi, Kengo et al., 2004,“Fatigue Property Analysis of Rail Steel Based on Damage Mechanics.” Quarterly Report of Railway Technical Research Institute, vol.

45, no. 4, pp. 203–209., doi:10.2219/ rtriqr.45.203. RTRI, Tokyo, Japan.

4. Barsom, J.M. and E.J. Imhoff, Jr., 1978, “Fatigue and Fracture of CarbonSteel Rails,” Rail Steels - Developments, Processing, and Use, ASTM STP644, 387-413, D.H. Stone and G.G. Knupp (eds.), Philadelphia.

5. Thompson et al., June 1992, “Fatigue Crack Growth in Rail Steels,” International Conference on Rail Quality and Maintenance for Modern Railway Operation, Kluwer Academic Publishers.

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BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION

WINTER CREATES A

8 Railway Track & Structures // October 2020

Photo Credit: American Bridge

SPRING rtands.com

BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION

H

eating and hoarding will get you outside every day during the long and hard winters in Edmonton, Canada.

Prime contractor American Bridge did it in late 2019 and early 2020 so a step would not be lost in the construction of the Tawatina Rail Bridge over the North Saskatchewan River. Edmonton cold seasons have been known to pile drive lifestyles, with the average temperature hitting just 31°F and about 50 in. of snow falling annually. The coldest day is usually Jan. 1, when it can get as low as 6°F. Numbers on a bank sign never impressed construction crews at the Tawatina Bridge site during a four-month span, as men and women huddled together to come up with the perfect plan to cast in place concrete sections of the span while staying on schedule for completion later this year.

So what increased the project’s circulation during the freeze? Heating and hoarding.

American Bridge’s ability to work through cold months gives the Tawatina Bridge project renewed optimism to meet deadline

By Bill Wilson, Editor-in-Chief

rtands.com

Mastering geometry and a block of concrete When complete, the Tawatina Rail Bridge will complement the legend of National Hockey League Hall of Famer and former Edmonton Oiler Wayne Gretzky.

The people of the city will have another Great One. The $391 million multipurpose span will carry train, pedestrian, and other traffic across the North Saskatchewan River as part of the 27-km rail route that will run southeast to west from Mill Woods to Lewis Farms crossing through Edmonton’s downtown core and will carry an estimated 100,000 daily commuters. A pedestrian walkway will be suspended underneath the superstructure of the rail bridge and will offer people protection from the weather as they cross.

The rail bridge is a three-span asymmetrical extradosed bridge consisting of two rail lines. The main span is 110 m, while the other two spans measure in at 100 m and 50 m. The superstructure is a multi-web box girder that was erected in balanced cantilever with form travelers for Pier 1 and Spans 1 and 2. Piers 2 and 3 and Span 3 used falsework and were cast in place.

Following the direction of the public, the city of Edmonton chose the extradosed design over a suspension and cablestayed bridge.

“Given the span length and for a light-rail bridge you have def lection and October 2020 // Railway Track & Structures 9

BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION

American Bridge used heating and hoarding to cast during the winter.

“

THIS BRIDGE IS A SIGNATURE BRIDGE AND IT IS REALLY GOING TO BLEND WELL WITH THE ENVIRONMENT. IT IS IN A VERY NICE PORTION OF THE CITY. vibration characteristics that do not lend itself to thin structures, so an extradosed bridge gives the advantage of having a box girder section that still performs much like a beam,” Jerry Pfuntner, project manager for Finley Engineering Group, which is the construction engineer for the bridge, told RT&S. “And you get additional rigidity and the stay cables act to create uniform support of the structure across the length of the span.”

Pfuntner said the biggest challenge was combining the cast-in-place methodology with the sequence of erection. The pylon shape is very unique in that it has two individual legs that are in a configuration to where they curve outward, so controlling the geometry during the casting of all 10 Railway Track & Structures // October 2020

the stay-cable systems, guide pipes and everything else combining with displacements throughout construction can make tracking current geometry difficult. “[The bridge] has quite long cantilevers for a box girder for the extradosed configuration,” said Pfuntner.

Setting up the foundation was almost just as challenging as dealing with the geometry. While attempting to install the mini piles for the pylon base, crews encountered a large piece of concrete.

The chunk of hard material, which was believed to be a slab, was buried about 9 m under the berm construction crews were working on. Several experts were brought in to develop a solution, and the coffer cell was safely secured a few weeks later. The

engineering solution involved working around the concrete block. The pylon tower foundation required 65 305-mm mini piles, drilled 20 m into the riverbed.

A pair of 1.8-m drilled shafts formed the foundation on each of the abutments.

The pylon is 57.4 m high and extends 30 m above the level of the deck.

Encountering the buried concrete slab could have pushed back the completion date for the main portion of the bridge significantly, but American Bridge kept the original schedule intact by casting all the way through the winter. With the target strength of the concrete at 50 MPa, American Bridge executed its heating and hoarding strategy. Large tents, multiple heaters and several generators were used rtands.com

to keep the portion that was being cast protected from the frigid elements. The entire form traveler that was used to cast segments was covered, and the segment behind current casting also was protected.

After a segment was cast, post-tensioning took place.

“The [heating and hoarding] system ensures the concrete can mature and harden properly,” remarked Pfuntner.

“It ensures its performance in the cold weather once it is released out in the atmosphere.”

There were a total of 39 segments (20 on the south end and 19 on the north) and a second closure pour that was done in the summer of 2020.

For post-tensioning, once the segment or closure segments were cast and reached the required compressive strength of 50 MPa, the post-tensioning strand was installed and pushed through the open post-tensioning ducts that were cast into the segments. From there, the posttensioning anchorage bearing plates and wedges were installed at each end of the post-tensioning tendon, and each strand was stressed to the prescribed forces.

When the stressing procedures were completed, the post-tensioning strand at the anchorages were cut, tendon ducts were grouted, and protection details of the post-tensioning anchorages were installed.

Fourteen pairs of cable stays were

installed on the main pylon. Stay cable pipes were installed and aligned as the rebar cage in the leading cantilever segment was assembled. The stay pipes were temporary supported prior to casting by a steel frame that also provided the ability to adjust the spatial location of the exit point of the stay-cable pipe in order to match the required 3-D geometric locations provided per the geometry control procedures. Once the rebar cage and stay pipes were installed, the segment was cast. After reaching the required concrete strength, the stay-cable strand was installed between the superstructure segment and the pylon tower and stressed to its required stay force for the given construction stage. Each stay cable was stressed in two phases prior to the installation of the next stay cable.

Cast-in-place construction went smoothly during erection of the bridge.

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Getting closure In mid-September, American Bridge completed casting of the second and last closure segment on the superstructure, achieving within 1/8 in. of the target theoretical setup elevations after final adjustment with the closure beams. From there, the remaining continuity post-tensioning tendons were stressed once the required concrete strength was achieved.

After the closure, crews began removing the north and south moveable form

Fourteen pairs of cable stays were installed on the main pylon.

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October 2020 // Railway Track & Structures 11

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travelers off the superstructure and started installing the pedestrian walkway attached to the superstructure soffit using a moveable trolley system.

The pedestrian walkway will be erected in multiple sections where ground access is available. Over the river, a lightweight steel trolley system will be used to deliver the walkway sections one at a time to their final locations and lifted in place from the superstructure. The trolley system will ride on rails along the edge of the superstructure deck surface and pushed/pulled by winches. The lower platform of the trolley system is removable and can be lowered at the Pier 1 ground access to set and deliver the next walkway section to be installed. Once the steel framing of the pedestrian walkway has been erected, the wood decking, concrete infill, and steel grating will be installed and finished.

Due to environmental concerns, no equipment could be placed in the river itself.

Trackwork and deck barrier installation also began in September. At press time, the bridge was about 85 percent complete.

“This bridge is a signature bridge and it is really going to blend well with the environment there,” said Phuntner. “It is in a very nice portion of the city and it is really going to be a highlight structure.” rtands.com

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CROSSTIES

THE TIES THAT BIND Crosstie product overview and market outlook

W

ith all of the science and engineering inherent in rail track build and maintenance, such as track geometry, the wheel/rail interface and precision rail grinding, some may consider discussions of railroad ties a little boring.

However, those railroaders responsible for tie management will disagree. For example, the train forces that impact the life of a tie, the way the tie integrates into the ballast and substructure of the track, and the proper anchorage to the rail are all critically important issues. Moreover, the life cycle of a tie must be properly managed—i.e., ties must be acquired, well maintained during their use, and disposed of in an environmentally responsible way.

The pandemic we’ve been dealing with 14 Railway Track & Structures // October 2020

since the beginning of 2020 has impacted segments of the rail and ancillary industries differently. For example, the general business decline from the pandemic, along with the implementation of precision scheduled railroading, has provided railroads with significant infrastructure maintenance windows. More maintenance being done has driven up the demand for railroad ties and other components.

Ashley Goodin, executive director of the Railway Tie Association (RTA), told RT&S that the wood railroad tie business is 14 percent ahead of where their forecasts said they would be at this point in the year. He added that we may see a drop in Q4 2020.

He also noted that he expects 2021 to be a little slower than 2020. “Railroads are on target for CapEx in 2021. Right now, the

tie market looks fairly stable. In uncertain times, unless we see indications that suppliers are cutting back, the industry’s approach is to stay the course.”

Goodin points out that the RTA supports both the rail industry and forestry industry. The association is working with North Carolina State, Mississippi State and Purdue universities on various ways to dispose of ties. As the association works on this issue, it is looking for a viable and useful end-of-life process for crossties, “and we want to have third-party researched-based info that demonstrates there is value in old crossties.”

Our profile of companies involved in the railroad tie or an ancillary business follows. In addition to showcasing some of their products, we’ve asked them to rtands.com

Photo Credit: David C. Lester

By David C. Lester, Managing Editor

CROSSTIES

LT Resources’ TieTek composite crossties are manufactured to meet AREMA standards.

Stella Jones George Caric of Stella Jones said that while we can all agree 2020 is going to go down as the most unusual year in our lifetime, the year was good for Stella Jones and the crosstie industry. “During the shutdown and stay-at-home mandates, we learned that the rail industry was considered essential and we were quick to work with our Class 1 customers, the Association of American Railroads and GoRail to get an exemption to keep the plants running.”

In addition to the strong year for crosstie sales, Stella Jones also is working on several projects that will assist the railroads with used tie recovery. The company is seeing increasing demand for copper napthanate-treated bridge timbers and crossties. According to Caric, the company is “preparing for 2021, which we expect to be as strong as 2020.”

Encore Encore has been in business for over 20 years, and focuses entirely on crosstie life extension. The company offers plugging 16 Railway Track & Structures // October 2020

compounds and rail seat abrasion products, with the majority of their business focused on plugging compounds. They offer a fleet of machines to lease Class 1 railroads,

“

WE CAN ALL AGREE 2020 IS GOING TO GO DOWN AS THE MOST UNUSUAL YEAR IN OUR LIFETIME. THE YEAR WAS GOOD FOR THE CROSSTIE INDUSTRY.

contractors, short lines, transit operations, and mines across North America.

With all things considered, their 2020 business has remained strong. They continue to see a year-over-year uptick in the amount of transit- and short-line business across all of their product lines.

LT Resources, Inc. LT Resources, Inc. is the exclusive distributor of American TieTek’s engineered composite cross ties, switch ties, bridge ties and custom composite products. TieTek ties are manufactured to meet AREMA standards using premium recycled materials to provide strong performance and extended service life in severe environments. TieTek ties are non-conductive and resistant to insects, fungi, moisture, harsh environmental conditions and rail-seat abrasion. TieTek ties minimize the need for replacement, reduce downtime and eliminate disposal costs, while providing a long, useful life with a positive impact on the environment. Cost-effective TieTek ties supplied by LT Resources are 100 percent recyclable at the end of their useful life, an estimated 50 years.

Nisus Corporation Nisus Corporation, a wood preservative manufacturer, has made a significant impact on the railroad industry by lengthening the service life of both ties and bridge ties. Their impact began with a two-step borate dual treatment of railroad ties using a liquid borate product called rtands.com

Photo Credit: LT Resources, Inc.

provide their take on the market outlook, which some have done.

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CROSSTIES

•

•

•

In Fall 2019, Lonza Wood Protection teamed with Mississippi State University to check chemonite ACZA-treated crossties located in testing locations in three different harsh environments. The results were overwhelmingly favorable for the ties.

cellutreat. The company first presented the longevity data to railroads and demonstrated that most ties decay from the center of the tie from incipient decay that begins during air drying. Dipping ties in cellutreat prior to air drying stops this decay from starting and results in a stronger tie at time of treatment, as well as a tie that lasts longer and is resistant to spike kill. All of the Class 1 railroads demonstrated interest, including Norfolk Southern, the first Class 1 to implement dual treatments on a large commercial basis. The company then worked with treatment plants to install dip tanks that could dip-treat a German stack of ties at a time. Now, all the Class 1 railroads are dual treating their ties that are going into the high decay hazard zones.

18 Railway Track & Structures // October 2020

At the same time, the company introduced copper naphthenate, a heavy-duty oil-borne preservative, under the brand name QNAP. Nisus also offered some insight into the railroad tie market in 2020, and made the following points: • Hardwoods for tie supply have remained consistently strong throughout this year. Tie supply and pricing remained relatively consistent in Q1 and Q2 of 2020. However, the market is beginning to hear about tightening supplies of hardwood.

• One factor that is impacting the market this year is the increasingly difficult end-of-life planning for crossties. Most crossties are going to boilers for energy

L.B. Foster Company Per Vince Petersen, engineering manager, CXT Inc./L.B. Foster, “Transit and industrial project quoting for concrete ties has been relatively strong over the past few months despite some project delays due to COVID-19. This has resulted in many new opportunities across not only our transit and industrial/port customer base but also with the Class 1 freight rail segment.

Regionally, we have seen a number of new orders from ports on the west coast and passenger rail and other industrial projects in Canada. We have also had an increase in demand for our specialty ties for some smaller track upgrade projects and station improvements for transit rtands.com

Photo Credit: Lonza

•

recovery or to landfills. Boilers are charging a tip fee of approximately $2 per tie and landfills costs average about $4 per tie. Add in about another $4 for shipping, and the total disposal cost per tie is about $6-$8, according to Ken Laughlin, divisional vice president, Wood Preservation, for Nisus Corporation.

Overall commodity lumber pricing spiked 128 percent at the beginning of August, primarily driven by softwood demand as builders pushed to meet an increasing market for new homes for families seeking upgrades while staying at home for remote work and school.

Big ticket remodeling also was up 7.5 percent in Q2 2020. These increases in softwood lumber from the building industry are generally followed by increases in hardwood lumber usage as homes are finished with hardwood floors. This increased activity also flows through to the pallet market.

Although there may not be tie supply issues, there may be price pressure driven by increases in hardwood pricing in Q4.

Tie production appears to be remaining in step with 2019, and tie purchases may be slightly ahead of last year.

“The increased regulatory pressure on creosote in Europe may create opportunity for tie companies in the U.S.,” said Dr. Jeff Lloyd, senior vice president, Innovation and Sustainability. “Some of these companies ship untreated hardwoods, especially oak, into Europe for treatment there. As Europe moves towards the acceptance of QNAP, the option for adding value in the U.S. by shipping treated ties into Europe becomes possible.”

CROSSTIES

agencies, some of which have necessitated extra engineering efforts on our part.

That includes special track work concrete ties and contact rail installation features for concrete ties.�

The company also continues to focus on internal programs to improve product performance and quality based on customer needs. According to Petersen, the company recently enacted the newest and more rigorous ISO 9001:2015 standards to continuously drive quality improvements.

The company also feels that concrete tie demand will continue to grow due to revitalized Class 1 demand and for several high-speed rail projects.

Omaha Track Wood crosstie disposal is a necessity throughout the entire railroad industry.

Any company that uses railroad tracks for operations has the obligation to determine the most economical and environmentally responsible way to dispose of the scrap materials that are generated during track maintenance and repairs.

Co-generation fuel facilities are

historically the most desirable way to dispose of scrap crossties. Omaha Track, Inc. operates three tie-chipping facilities in La Crosse, Wis., Superior, Wis., and

“

RAILROADS MUST USE THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE METHODS OF DISPOSING SCRAP MATERIAL DURING TRACK MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR.

Pueblo, Colo. The crossties are chipped to an exact specification as required by the final consumer and then burned with other fuel sources, such as coal, to generate energy and industrial steam.

The facilities that are certified to burn tie chips continue to reduce in availability, and the government regulates the percentage of ties that can be used to create energy at these facilities. Biomass facilities that are not certified to burn tie chips also have been diminishing.

This phenomenon equates to an excess of supply and a decline in demand for wood biomass including, but not limited to, tie chips.

Although crossties are more desirable than standard wood biomass because they burn hotter and more consistently due to creosote, pricing for other wood biomass is trending towards pay for disposal. Additionally, the abundance of biomass in the marketplace has put downward pressure on crosstie disposal capacity. Another common option for disposal of ties is taking the ties, either whole or chipped, to landfills. Chipped ties can sometimes be used at landfills as an alternative daily cover.

Competing energy sources such as wind and solar power are highly subsidized by the government. As more subsidized

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20 Railway Track & Structures // October 2020

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CROSSTIES

renewable energy comes online, it crowds out demand for biomass and tie chips because the renewable energy credits are consumed by the wind and solar renewable sources.

Vossloh Over the last year, Vossloh Tie Technologies (VTT/Rocla Concrete Tie) has completed the commissioning of a new concrete tie plant in Canada which offers Class 1, transit and industrial products to the Canadian market. This new facility has a potential output of over 250,000 concrete ties per year and is positioned to provide significant logistics advantages to Canadian customers to manage their ongoing concrete tie programs by having direct rail access to the new facility.

VTT has further expanded their technology and offerings to improve upon the concrete maintenance replacement tie (MRT Gen3).

The MRT Gen3 is a concrete tie designed to be interspersed with wood ties without having to replace the entire wood track in one maintenance cycle. The MRT Gen3 concrete tie is made with the company’s

newest manufacturing technology and provides enhancements to both the concrete tie and integrated fastening system. This new tie provides the highest ability to absorb the vertical deflection of rail, which is a result of the poor performance and track stability of wood tie track. In-track trials with multiple customers have been ongoing and the production of this new product is now available beginning in 2021.

Lonza In December 2019, representatives from Lonza Wood Protection and Mississippi State University evaluated representative ties treated with chemonite ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate (ACZA) and boron, dead stacked for a year, then installed in track in 2011.

Ammoniacal copper arsenate (ACA), the predecessor of ACZA, has successfully protected Douglas fir ties since the 1940s; and more recently, ACZA has protected Douglas fir bridge timbers and crossties.

ACZA’s performance in treating difficult or refractory species of wood has been documented throughout its wide range of uses

approved in the AWPA. Ongoing lab testing continues to confirm that ACZA is a preservative system that deserves consideration in the preservation and protection of hardwood ties.

Commercial treatment, installation, and successful performance in active railroad track is the ultimate test for crossties.

Because of the success at the sites chosen for in-track testing, there is continued support for the use of ACZA in protecting hardwood ties. Mississippi State University was retained to perform in-track inspections and evaluations on ties previously installed and to sample those test ties for analysis.

The 140 incised gum, white oak, and red oak ties were a standard size of 7 in. x 9 in. x 8 ft 6 in. and were treated with either ACZA only, ACZA + DOT, ACZA + ET Clear, or ACZA + DOT + ET Clear to evaluate various combinations that may affect service life.

After the ties were divided into six charges and treated with some Douglas fir ties and timbers, 72 of each of the treating combinations were sent to three railroad sites with an additional set to the Lonza Technical Center in Conley, Ga.

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DITCHING AND DRAINAGE

PERFECTLY CLEARED

Ditching and drainage equipment make it easy to get jobs done right

B

reaking ground after the ribbon is cut and the gold shovels are onto the next photo op is the most important event at any jobsite. Maintenance often calls for digging and grading. Below is a summary of some of the products offered in the ditching and drainage market.

Loram Loram provides a full range of products to ensure track structures effectively drain water.

All drainage maintenance should start with a sound understanding of the root cause of the symptoms the track is showing. Loram’s GPR

22 Railway Track & Structures // October 2020

& LiDAR inspections take a holistic look at the track to identify if water is presenting issues due to ballast fouling, poor subgrade conditions, or compromised ditches. Loram’s fleet of equipment can remedy the issue correctly.

For highly fouled track sections in need of complete remediation, the UC1200 undercutter can remove the complete ballast layer, screen the ballast, and return the good ballast in a single pass. If the aim is to raise the track by adding new ballast, the same machine can function as a high-speed track lifter to add a new layer of free draining ballast over the existing layer. For moderately fouled tracks,

Loram’s fleet of shoulder ballast cleaners can excavate the complete shoulder section, screen the ballast, and return the good ballast in a single pass. Both the UC1200 and SBC can excavate and screen up to 1,500 cu yd of fouled ballast per hour.

For improving drainage around specialty trackwork, in tunnels and on bridges, the LRV excavator is the preferred equipment. Using a combination of up to 500 horsepower of vacuum power and 5,000 lb of nozzle force, the LRV can excavate anywhere up to 15 ft from track centerline down to 5 ft below top of rail.

To ensure the water that has drained out rtands.com

Photo Credit: Plasser American

By Bill Wilson, Editor-in-Chief

Material handling made easy Herzog’s versatile Multi-Purpose MachineŽ increases the speed of on-track material handling with maximum efficiency, accuracy, and safety.

DITCHING AND DRAINAGE

Plasser American Good drainage is an absolute requirement for long-lasting, high-quality track. Fouled ballast and weak sub-ballast lead to the quick deterioration of track surface and alignment, which in turn leads to the premature failure of track components, higher maintenance costs and reduced track speeds. To properly maintain

RCE’s 245G Railavator.

track the mud has to be removed and proper drainage restored.

The first line of defense for drainage are ballast undercutter cleaners to remove the fouled material from the ballast to keep the water drained from the track. Plasser offers a variety of ballast cleaning machines from single screening units like the RM80 to the high-speed double screening machines like the RM-802 system.

Plasser also offers a variety of machines to accompany ballast-cleaning machines like MFS Material Conveyor Cars in various sizes to load the waste material to be hauled away from the work site and the ULS3000 Unloading Station for discharging waste material up to 45 ft away from the center of track.

The Railway Educational Bureau

Your Guide to Railway Signals Your Guide to Railway Signals is an excellent guide for training signal personnel especially railway cross-function managers, supervisors, and support personnel. High-quality graphics and diagrams have been used throughout.

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Basic Principles of Track Maintenance progresses from an overview of the basic track structure to examinations of its components and ends with a comprehensive look at turnouts and right-of-way.

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24 Railway Track & Structures // October 2020

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The Track Safety Standards Calculator is a must for anyone who works on track. This slide rule type calculator contains many of the details for Classes of track 1 through 5.

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Reprinted by popular demand, this book is a valuable reference for roadmasters, track supervisors, track foreman, surveyors and others involved in the planning and execution of track maintenance and construction work.

Fold-out diagrams. Softcover. 301 pages.

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Rail Construction Equipment Co. The 245G Railavator is a compact reduced tail swing excavator that is equipped with RCE’s hydraulic hi-rail system.

It is ideal for rail maintenance applications like rail laying, tie handling, scrap pick-up, ballast and site preparation, and under cutting.

The Railavator features a John Deere G-Series excavator. Large, easy-to-open service doors and easy-access service points make quick work of daily and periodic maintenance.

The hi-rail gear is configured to stay within the

Track Resources

Basic Principles of Track Maintenance

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For spot maintenance where mud issues need to be addressed immediately, Plasser offers the CR312 Ballast Cribber. The Plasser Crib Cleaner CR312 is a self-propelled machine specially designed to work under the severest ballast conditions. The CR312 is capable of digging/cleaning out two ballast cribs simultaneously, removing fouled ballast on both sides of the ties up to a depth of 10 in. below the bottom of the tie. The machine also is equipped with adjustable shoulder plows on each side which are capable of plowing the muddy ballast from the cribs and the shoulder away from the track.

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Photo Credit: RCE

of the ballast section does not stagnate and saturate the substructure, Loram’s Badger Ditcher is the machine required. The highproduction ditching head can cut ditches in almost any terrain to ensure the water that has flowed out of the track can flow away from the track as well.

The complement to all Loram’s ballast excavating and cleaning equipment is the MHC line of material handling cars. According to Loram, these cars outperform competitive equipment with more material casting power to minimize conveyor overloads and discharge material 20 percent further from track centerline. The MHC can connect to and receive material from any undercutter, shoulder ballast cleaner, ditch cleaner, Loram LRV, or other brands of equipment.

DITCHING AND DRAINAGE

length of the track frame, which allows the ease of climbing over obstacles. Modified track pads provide rail clearance to allow for the straddling of the rail while working on the track.

Ballast Tools Equipment Ballast Tools Equipment knows drainage issues can lead to erosion and damage. Clogged ditches, plugged culverts, and mud spots all slow down rail traffic and cause costly delays. BTE and its engineering team worked with several of its railroad customers to develop an effective mechanical method for cleaning culverts and drainage systems under railroad tracks.

The BTE engineering team designed the Culvert Cleaner System, a continuous auguring attachment that works with BTE hi-rail excavators.

The BTE Culvert Cleaner System uses multiple steel auger sections to clear clogged or impacted culverts and pipes. The system drives augers into the culvert opening from one side, allowing the augers to work through the top of the impacted material. The 10-ft auger sections are carefully screwed into the culvert, and more augers are attached until the other end of the culvert is reached. Once the augers

are through the culvert, the weight and force of the rotating augers work down through the clogged areas, and the material is ejected out of the culvert with little or no damage to the culvert itself. Material can be removed from either end of the culvert.

The BTE Culvert Cleaner System is available in two sizes: a mini excavator or a standardsized excavator. The stick-mounted Rototilt system provides 360° of rotation and 40° of tilt for precision work. The excavator-mounted system gives great mobility and access to difficult culvert locations.

includes various interchangeable attachments that can quickly fasten to its flexible rototilt head, giving you options for precision ditching.

Preparing a corridor for optimal drainage is an ideal task for the MPM. It can clean out culverts; excavate dirt, mud, and vegetation; unload ballast, rip rap, or shot rock; or, if desired, provide a final flattened grade with a large blade attachment. Its newly cut ditch lines will direct water away from the track and allow the railroad subgrade to properly drain, further reducing the chance for subgrade failures and extending the life of rail and ties.

Herzog Herzog’s Multi-Purpose Machine (MPM) is a versatile MOW and construction tool for any railroad. The MPM was designed to perform numerous tasks in a minimal amount of time.

With one operator, the MPM can travel down the track in either direction under its own power. Work activities are controlled from the seat of a zero-turn radius excavator affixed to a gantry system that runs along the top of well cars, making it well-suited for working in multi-track mainlines or in yards without fouling the track. The excavator arm

Contech Engineered Solutions LLC On Sept. 10, Contech Engineered Solutions announced that its DuroMaxx steel-reinforced polyethylene pipe available in diameters up to 120 in. has been approved by the American Railway Engineering and Maintenanceof-Way Association (AREMA) for both direct buy and reline applications.

DuroMaxx combines the strength of 80-ksi steel with the durability of HDB-rated polyethylene plastic. DuroMaxx is used for municipal wastewater, irrigation, storm sewer, and pipeline rehabilitation.

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October 2020 // Railway Track & Structures 25

CONGRATULATIONS Edward F. “Ed” Boyle, Jr. Vice President Engineering Norfolk Southern Corporation Railway Track and Structures 2020 Engineer of the Year

Now available ON DEMAND Nearly 80 Technical Presentations • Virtual Expo featuring a Global Marketplace • Obtain up to 14 PDHs • Keynote Addresses • Committee Leaders Recognition • Connect with Railway Engineers

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Message From The President

L

VICTOR R. BABIN AREMA President 2020-21

ike Aesop’s fabled Ant, we have toiled throughout the spring, summer and fall with construction and maintenance programs as we prepare for the future. Ties have been replaced, ballast has been re-profiled, bridges inspected, repaired and replaced, new tracks have been laid, sidings have been extended, turnouts and control points have been commissioned, Positive Train Control has been implemented and safety plans have been submitted. I hope that each of you also have taken some time to live like the Grasshopper with song, dance, recreation, time with family and friends and the many other blessings of our good lives. Now we prepare for our next season.

Winter is rapidly approaching as we finalize our severe weather plans; we ensure that our switch heaters are ready and snowremoval equipment is prepared. Commuter and transit lines lay in the tools, equipment and supplies to keep parking lots, platforms, walkways, and traction power systems clear of snow and ice. We convert the machineries of summer to winter purpose or bring them in for maintenance and repair in anticipation of the coming construction and maintenance cycle. We distribute cold-weather safety gear and clothing to our work forces.

As always, we think ahead not only in terms of weeks and months, but also in years and decades. We diligently anticipate the future of our railways.

Our plans for maintaining, building and expanding infrastructure tomorrow are not complete until we contemplate our most critical task: acquiring talented engineering and maintenance staff and preparing

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them to lead our industry into the future.

Committee 24–Education & Training is here to help us meet this vital objective. This dedicated group is charged with “developing programs encouraging student interest in railway engineering and the continuing education of engineers employed in the railway industry” and “providing a working forum for Maintenance-of-Way training professionals to develop and exchange ideas.” One of the many forums provided

by Committee 24 is the AREMA Mentoring Program championed by Ned Bagniewski.

In a recent discussion with Ned, I learned more about this education initiative.

Starting as a demonstration project in 2014 and now fully operational, the program recruits and pairs experienced rail professionals with young professionals and students to explore and discuss

“

I CALL UPON COLLEAGUES TO THINK BACK ON THEIR CAREERS AND THOSE WHO HELPED THEM ALONG THE WAY. WILL YOU PAY IT FORWARD?

the many aspects of railroading life. The plan is marketed via brochures and seat drops at the Meet the Next Generation and Student Chapter events at the Annual Conference, at career fairs and through the AREMA website. Interested mentees begin the process by completing an application that identifies their geographic location, academic pursuits and achievements, areas of interest within railway engineering disciplines, other professional interests, goals and objectives of the mentoring relationship and preferences in a mentor. Similarly, mentors identify their employment, location, areas of expertise and educational background. Utilizing this data, mentees are paired with mentors based on location, similarities of interest and other compatibilities. Currently, all pairings are on a one-toone basis, but group pairings and rotational

pairings are considerations with potential for growing the Mentoring Program.

Participants acknowledge and initially commit to three monthly meetings by telephone. AREMA assists the mentors and mentees by providing questionnaires and discussion points for each of the calls.

This process generally follows established mentoring guidelines including an introductory call to initiate dialogue and to discuss expectations and career goals.

Career development plans, alternatives and strategies are reviewed and formulated in the second meeting. These plans are further refined in the third meeting with the mentor providing guidance and direction to other expertise and further resources to advance the mentee along a chosen career path. This last formal meeting closes with reflection on successes, areas for improvement and next steps. After that, a new mentor may be assigned, if desired, but many mentoring pairs have mutually agreed to continue their discussions with future phone calls, meetings and workplace visits.

AREMA’s Mentoring Program has built solid professional relationships, expanded the horizons and advanced the careers for many of the next generation in railways.

Mentor volunteers have been enriched by the experience of reflecting upon their professional life, challenges and successes and by relating their accumulated wisdom to eager listeners who are committed to bettering themselves and advancing their careers. Yet, there is much more we can do.

Mentor participation has been strongest within the Track and Structures Functional Group. Additional support is welcome in all areas in general and from the Communications & Signals and Maintenance-of-Way functional groups in particular. I call upon colleagues to think back on their careers and those who helped them along the way.

Will you pay it forward? Consider being a mentor. Many mentees have entered the program through AREMA Student Chapters: Visit your alma mater and local schools to stimulate interest in railway careers and encourage formation of new Student Chapters throughout North America.

As always, we look ahead to spring; we advance our industry with new ideas and innovations by cultivating the careers of bright, enthusiastic and energetic young minds.

October 2020 // Railway Track & Structures 27

FYI

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AREMA is focused on your education and helping you advance in the railway industry.

AREMA’s convenient webinars provide Professional Development Hours (PDH) to serve your educational needs.

Shared Corridor Planning Webinar

and sustaining growth.

Date: Thursday, Nov. 12

Design & Construction of Highway/ Railway Grade Crossings Webinar

Time: 1-3 p.m. ET

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 9

PDH: 2 This webinar will provide the knowledge a n d b e n ef i t fo r e n g i n e e r i n g a n d construction professionals at railroads and agencies (owners), consultants, and contractors whose work includes the planning, design, and construction of new or expanded shared use corridors.

I t p r e s e n t s n u m e r o u s te c h n i c a l , institutional, political, operational and financial challenges to infrastructure, rolling stock, and rail operations to safely accommodate new or higherspeed passenger services while maintaining existing freight operations

Time: 2-3:30 p.m. ET PDH: 1.5 This presentation is intended to provide AREMA guidelines to highway designers for projects that have railroad at-grade crossings. Design and construction elements also will be presented. If you are a consultant for highway agencies, a county engineer, state design engineer, city public works director or a member of their staff, then this webinar is for you.

College educators and students also will benefit from attending.

These courses are comprised of recommended practices and relevant accumulated knowledge from subject matter experts in the railroad industry. They are not intended as a regulatory qualification.

For more information on our educational programs and to register, please visit www. arema.org.

• 2021 Call For Papers: Papers are now being accepted for the AREMA 2021 Annual Conference with Railway Interchange to be held in Indianapolis from Sept. 26-29, 2021. The deadline is Dec. 11. Please visit www.arema.org for more information and to submit a paper online.

• The AREMA Scholarship Program is now accepting applications for the 2021-2022 academic year. The AREMA Educational Foundation provides scholarships to engineering students who are specializing in the railway industry and supports other educational and training endeavors that help ensure the future of the profession.

Application deadline: Dec. 4.

• Order the 2020 Manual for Railway Engineering now. The Manual consists of railway engineering reference material and recommended practices for the industry.

It contains principles, data, specifications, plans and economics per taining to engineering, design and construction. Order online now at www.arema.org or contact mbruins@arema.org for more details.

• Did you miss the AREMA 2020 Virtual Conference & Expo? The platform will be open for one full year for you to network and learn while on the go. Purchase now at www.arema.org and have access until Sept. 15, 2021.

UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETINGS OCT. 13 - 14 Committee 38 - Information, Defect Detection & Energy Systems Virtual Meeting

OCT. 21 - 22 Committee 36 - Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Warning Systems Virtual Meeting

JANUARY 1, 2021 Committee 8 - Concrete Structures and Foundations San Diego, Calif.

OCT. 19 - 20 Committee 30 - Ties Virtual Meeting

OCT. 28 - 29 Committee 39 - Positive Train Control Virtual Meeting

FEB. 2 - 3, 2021 Committee 15 - Steel Structures Fort Worth, Texas

OCT. 20 - 21 Committee 37 - Signal Systems Virtual Meeting

DEC. 10 Committee 33 - Electric Energy Utilization Philadelphia, Pa.

MAY 18 - 19, 2021 Committee 15 - Steel Structures Pueblo, Colo.

If you’d like to learn more about the AREMA Technical Committees and would like to get involved, please contact Alayne Bell at abell@arema.org. For a complete list of all committee meetings, visit https://www.arema.org/events.aspx.

Negotiated airline discount information for AREMA Committee meetings can be found online at: http://www.arema.org/ meetings/airlines.aspx.

28 Railway Track & Structures // October 2020

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New & Used Equipment

R. E. L. A. M., INC.

Email: RelamCFE@aol.com Tel: 440-439-7088 Fax: 440-439-9399 Visit our website at: www.relaminc.com EQUIPMENT FOR SHORT OR LONG TERM LEASE HARSCO AND NORDCO TAMPERS 6700S, 6700SJ, 6700SJ2 Switch and Production Tampers Mark IV Switch and Production Tampers 3300 and HST Chase Tampers 3000 Tampers w/Raise & Line or Chase Tampers 2400 Tampers w/Raise & Line HYDRAULIC STABILIZERS HARSCO TS-30HDs TIE INSERTERS/EXTRACTORS Nordco TRIPPs TR-10s and TKOs 925 S/Ss, Standards, KTR-400s KNOX KERSHAW PRODUCTS KBR-860s and 925s, KSF-940 Ballast Regulators & Snow Fighters KBR-940 Dual Head Brush Cutters KTC-1200 Tie Cranes KKA-1000/1050 Kribber-Adzers KPB-200 Plate Brooms NORDCO ANCHOR APPLICATORS, SPIKERS & GRABBERS Models CX and SS Spikers M-3 Screw Spike Machines Model F Anchor Machines and BAAMs Model SP2R Dual Spike Puller/Grabbers RACINE RAILROAD PRODUCTS Dual Anchor Spreaders, Squeezers, Knockers (Anchor Removers), Anchor Applicators, DAACs (Dual Anchor Adjuster Cribber), Dual e-Clip Applicators, Ride-on Regauge Adzers, TPIs, Tie Straighteners, OTM Reclaimers, SAFELOK IIIs (SAR IIIs) HI-RAIL CRANES, SPEEDSWINGS & RAILHEATERS Pettibone Model 445E/445F Speedswings w/Multiple Attachments (F’s with Tier 4 Engine) Geismar 360/360-Tronic Hi-Rail Excavators, (Cold Air Blower, Brush Cutter, Grapple, Heel Boom, Train Air & Knuckle available) Badger 30 Ton Cranes w/Hi-Rails Propane and Diesel Railheaters - Single & Dual Sided, Self-propelled w/Vibrators HI-RAIL TRUCKS, EXCAVATORS, & CARTS Hi-Rail Gradalls, XL3300 Series III w/Digging Buckets & Brush Cutters Hi-Rail Rotary Dumps, Various Hi-Rail Pickups Hi-Rail Grapple Trucks (available w/Magnet, Rail Racks & Creep Drive) 25-ton Hudson Ballast Cars 25-ton Rail and OTM Carts, 5-ton Tie Carts

Products & Services

REESE WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?

• Track construction and maintenance • On-track ditching and rotary dump service • On-track tree trimming and brushcutting • Storm and flood cleanup and debris removal • Tie distribution, removal and disposal

K. W. Reese, Inc.

Box 298 • Mercersburg, PA 17236

(717) 328-5211 • FAX (717) 328-9541 • www.kwreese.com

2019 NRC PLATINUM SAFETY AWARD WINNER

MOW Integrated Carbide Tools 6700 Tamping Tool JK-635

MKIV Tamping Tool JK-215L/R

GRM3000 Tamping Tool JK-560C

Replace worn components with Harsco Rail’s complete line of integrated carbide tools.

• Class 1 product approval • Genuine OEM parts • All products in stock with immediate availability

To order, call: 1-800-800-6410 Email: railparts@harsco.com

WWW.RTANDS.COM rtands.com

October 2020 // Railway Track & Structures 29

New & Used Equipment An Authorized Harsco Remanufacturing Facility-An Authorized Harsco Parts Distributor Let Precision remanufacture your non-functional, outdated 6700 into a fully functional 6700 with the latest technology. If you have an old, worn-out 6700 tamper, we have your solution.

CALL 620-485-4277 OR VISIT PRECISIONRWY.COM FOR MORE DETAILS

REMANUFACTURED 6700 SALES

ON-SITE TRAINING

EQUIPMENT LEASING

WANT TO SEE MORE OF OUR WORK? SCAN THE QR CODE FOR OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL .

825 S. 19th St., Independence, KS 67301

TRADE IN ACCEPTED

Professional Directory MARKETPLACE SALES

JENNIFER IZZO P: 203-604-1744 F: 203-857-0296 jizzo@mediapeople.com

ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

STAY IN GEAR WITH RAIL GROUP NEWS RAIL GROUP NEWS brings you a daily round-up of news stories from Railway Age, RT&S, and IRJ. This email newsletter offers North American and global news and analysis of the freight and passenger markets. From developments in rail technology, operations, and strategic planning to legislative issues and engineering news, we’ve got you covered.

RAIL GROUP From RAILWAY AGE, Railway Age,RT&S RT&S and and IRJ IRJ NEWS www.railwayage.com/rgn ROUND-UP of NEWS STORIES FROM:

30 Railway Track & Structures // October 2020

rtands.com

AD INDEX

COMPANY

PHONE #

FAX #

E-MAIL ADDRESS

PAGE #

AREMA Marketing Department

301-459-3200

301-459-8077

marketing@arema.org

26,C3

Encore

303-956-3776

gs@encorers.com

17

Herzog Railroad Services Inc.

816-385-8233

jhansen@herzog.com

23

Hougen Manufactruing Company

866-245-3745

800-309-3299

info@trak-star.com

6

L.B. Foster Co.

412-928-3506

412-928-3512

glippard@lbfoster.com

21

Landoll Corporation

800-428-5655

888-293-6779

jim.ladner@landoll.com

2

Linsinger Maschinenbau GmbH

4376138840143

marketing@linsinger.com

11

Plasser American Corp

757-543-3526

757-494-7186

plasseramerican@plausa.com

C2

Racine Railroad Products, Inc

262-637-9681

262-637-9069

custserv@racinerailroad.com

20

RCE Equipment Solutions Inc.

866-472-4510

630-355-7173

dennishanke@rcequip.com

13

Railway Education Bureau The

402-346-4300

402-346-1783

bbrundige@sb-reb-com

24,25

Stella-Jones Corp.

800-272-8437

412-894-2846

kdulski@stella-jones.com

15

voestalpine Nortrak, Inc.

307-778-8700

307-778-8777

gord.weatherly@voestalpine.com

19,C4

Advertising Sales MAIN OFFICE JONATHAN CHALON Publisher 88 Pine St., 23rd Floor New York, NY 10005 (212) 620-7224 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jchalon@sbpub.com AL, KY, JONATHAN CHALON 88 Pine St., 23rd Floor New York, NY 10005 (212) 620-7224 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jchalon@sbpub.com

CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, RI, SC, VT, VA, WV, CANADA – QUEBEC AND EAST, ONTARIO JEROME MARULLO 88 Pine St., 23rd Floor New York, NY 10005 (212) 620-7260 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jmarullo@sbpub.com AR, AK, AZ, CA, CO, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, NM, ND, NV, OK, OR, SD, TN, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY, CANADA – AB, BC, MB, SK HEATHER DISABATO 20 South Clark Street, Suite 1910 Chicago, IL 60603 (312) 683-5026 Fax: (312) 683-0131 hdisabato@sbpub.com THE NETHERLANDS, BRITAIN, FRANCE, BELGIUM, PORTUGAL,

SWITZERLAND, NORTH GERMANY, MIDDLE EAST, SOUTH AMERICA, AFRICA (NOT SOUTH), FAR EAST (EXCLUDING KOREA / CHINA/INDIA), ALL OTHERS, TENDERS JEROME MARULLO 88 Pine St., 23rd Floor New York, NY 10005 (212) 620-7260 Fax: (212) 633-1863 jmarullo@sbpub.com

SCANDINAVIA, SPAIN, SOUTHERN GERMANY, AUSTRIA, KOREA, CHINA, INDIA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, SOUTH AFRICA, RUSSIA, EASTERN EUROPE BALTIC STATES, RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING MICHAEL BOYLE International Area Sales Manager Nils Michael Boyle Dorfstrasse 70, 6393 St. Ulrich, Austria. +011436767089872 mboyle@railjournal.com

Reader Referral Service This section has been created solely for the convenience of our readers to facilitate immediate contact with the RAILWAY TRACK & STRUCTURES advertisers in this issue.

ITALY, ITALIAN-SPEAKING SWITZERLAND DR. FABIO POTESTA Media Point & Communications SRL Corte Lambruschini Corso Buenos Aires 8 V Piano, Genoa, Italy 16129 +39-10-570-4948 Fax: +39-10-553-0088 info@mediapointsrl.it JAPAN KATSUHIRO ISHII Ace Media Service, Inc. 12-6 4-Chome, Nishiiko, Adachi-Ku Tokyo 121-0824 Japan +81-3-5691-3335 Fax: +81-3-5691-3336 amkatsu@dream.com CLASSIFIED, PROFESSIONAL & EMPLOYMENT JENNIFER IZZO 800 Connecticut Avenue Norwalk, CT 06854 (203) 604-1744 Fax: (203) 857-0296 jizzo@mediapeople.com

The Advertisers Index is an editorial feature maintained for the convenience of readers. It is not part of the advertiser contract and RTS assumes no responsibility for the correctness.

rtands.com

October 2020 // Railway Track & Structures 31

LAST STOP

Railroad heritage Let’s not let it fall by the wayside

By David C. Lester, Managing Editor

T

he heritage of Class 1 railroads in the U.S. is among the richest of any industry in the world. The railroads brought fundamental structural changes on a broad scale, much like the information age has today. The country was used to transporting goods and passengers via horsedrawn carriages or boats on canals. With the advent of the railroad, freight and passengers moved about the country at speed and distances previously unheard of, and early rail promotional material referenced passenger trains traveling at the “annihilating” speed of 15 to 20 mph. The industrial revolution and the technological developments that came from it would not have been possible without the railroad.

In 1976, there were approximately 60 Class 1 railroads in the U.S. Today, there are only five.

The “big four” dominate the industry, with Norfolk Southern and CSX in the east, and Union Pacific and BNSF in the west. Kansas City Southern makes five, and if you include the two large Class 1s serving Canada and parts of the U.S., Canadian Pacific and Canadian National, there are a total of seven Class 1s in North America.

During the past 45 years, tremendous industry consolidation has occurred as freight and passenger service faced stiff competition from newer modes of transport, particularly motor trucks and commercial aircraft. With the traffic base growing smaller, and heavy economic regulation from the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), many of the Class 1s sought merger partners, a process which was largely completed by 2000.

That amount of consolidation in a relatively short period of time has left a lot of railroad history on the table for future historians to explore. However, with the passage of time, interest in railroad history seems to be waning in some quarters. There are three entities that study and celebrate railroad heritage— academic historians, the Class 1 railroads, and railroad enthusiasts.

Although I’m not a member of the academic history community (i.e., holding advanced degrees and employed by a college or university), I hear that the pursuit of American history in general, and railroad history in particular, is not the hot ticket for success and notoriety in the field today. From what I understand,

32 Railway Track & Structures // October 2020

more esoteric disciplines in world history are popular, with many Ph.D. candidates considering some topics in American history, including railroad history, to be “done.” This doesn’t bode well for new discoveries stemming from rigorous academic analysis of railroad history.

Hopefully, this trend will not continue.

Second, we have the Class 1 roads themselves. Over the past few decades, several Class 1 roads have distinguished themselves as ones celebrating the history of the industry. This celebration of the industry’s history has taken two primary forms—the operation of special excursion trains powered by steam locomotives, and, through historical societies, the recognition of the many railroad companies that were consolidated and have become part of today’s Class 1s. While all Class 1s have participated in one of these activities to some degree, the real standouts have been Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific.

Unfortunately, there is less emphasis on promoting rail history by the Class 1s these days. This is understandable. Prior to COVID-19 putting the brakes on business, rail traffic had been declining for many months. And, the implementation of precision scheduled railroading (PSR) brought the hammer down on any unnecessary expenses. Steam excursions are certainly unnecessary expenses.

Most readers are likely familiar with the heritage unit programs. Norfolk Southern kicked their program off in 2012 by unveiling 20 brand new engines with predecessor road paint schemes. After a day of celebration at a major North Carolina railroad museum, these units were immediately put into freight service. These units still prowl the NS system, and the paint jobs appear to have been maintained well, except that you’ll see one every now and then that has a lot of road grime. That may not be such a bad thing, though. It shows that, despite the special paint scheme, these units are earning their keep pulling freight, just like every other engine on the NS system.

However, one concern I’ve had, which I hope does not come to fruition, is the receipt of a press release from one or more Class 1s announcing that to cut expenses, they are ending their heritage unit program.

Heritage units can bring a sense of excitement even to members of the public who

don’t care about trains. I once heard Wick Moorman, retired chairman, president and CEO of Norfolk Southern, say that it was good for younger NS employees to see these units to help them appreciate the long history of the industry in which they’re now working. I implore the Class 1s, and all roads with a heritage unit program, to keep these units in good shape and continuing to ply the rails promoting rail history while earning their keep on the road.

Finally, there are railroad enthusiast groups focused on a specific road. Some argue that road-specific groups (such as the Southern Railway Historical Association) will wither on the vine as those who either worked for or observed the railroad when it was running pass away. I don’t think that will happen soon.

Given that the big four Class 1s have been around for nearly 40 years, I believe we’ll see growing interest in historical societies for current Class 1s.

I can’t predict who will lead the way for railroad history in the future, but based on what I see now, I think it will likely be the enthusiast groups. If you’re wondering about the quality of work being done by these organizations, take a look at the outstanding work done by the Union Pacific Historical Society and the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society.

These groups are producing first-rate history and analysis on specific roads, as well as the industry as a whole.

David C. Lester

rtands.com

Upcoming Webinars Shared Corridor Planning Webinar November 12, 2020 1:00 - 3:00 PM ET PDH 2.0

This webinar will provide the knowledge and benefit for engineering and construction professionals at railroads and agencies (owners), consultants, and contractors whose work includes the planning, design, and construction of new or expanded shared use corridors.

The course is comprised of recommended practices and relevant accumulated lessons learned and knowledge discussing mixed or shared-use systems. It presents numerous technical, institutional, political, operational and financial challenges to infrastructure, rolling stock, and rail operations to safely accommodate new or higher-speed passenger services while maintaining existifreight operations and sustaining growth.

Design & Construction of Highway/Railway Grade Crossings Webinar December 9, 2020 2:00 - 3:30 PM ET PDH 1.5

This presentation is intended to provide AREMA guidelines to highway designers for projects that have railroad at-grade crossings. Design and construction elements will also be presented. If you are a consultant for highway agencies, a County Engineer, State Design Engineer, City Public Works Directorsw or a member of their staff, then this webinar is for you. College Educators and Students will also benefit from attending.

To REGISTER or for more information visit www.arema.org.

voestalpine Railway Systems Nortrak